A merchant uses a point-of-sale system to conduct payment transactions. The typical point-of-sale system includes a card reader for payment cards (e.g., debit or credit cards) and a cash drawer.
If a customer pays by credit card, the merchant enters a transaction amount, and the merchant or the customer swipes the credit card in the card reader. Many transactions require that the customer sign a physical receipt, electronically approve a transaction, e.g., by pressing an approve button on a user interface, electronically sign for the transaction, e.g., with a stylus or finger on an electronic signature capture device with a touch sensitive pad, or enter an authorizing personal identification number (PIN).
Alternatively, if the customer pays by cash, the merchant can receive and deposit the cash into the cash drawer. A merchant can use a printer to print out a receipt that details the transaction.
Some point-of-sale systems include a bar code reader so that the merchant can scan the bar code on the product. A computer in the point-of-sale system can identify the product and price from the bar code. The computer can also calculate the total transaction amount, including sales tax, when multiple products are purchased in a single transaction.